Solar Energy

Solar energy is a critical component of the South African strategy to retain power producing capacity to 2030 and beyond. Construction on new solar power plants has started, and is set to intensify in the next few years. Their viability and energy yield entirely depend on the intensity and wavelength of the incident solar light. This in turn depends on location specific geometric effects such as land aspect and the solar trajectory, atmospheric light scattering properties (functions of aerosol concentration and type) and weather patterns. This project aims to create an internet-based provincial South African solar atlas that will be available as a resource to the solar power industry and the public for solar panel installation.Calculations are furthermore being done to determine the location-specific optimal alignments of photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar power plants.

Hartmut Winkler has been compiling a detailed catalogue of South African solar power stations, as well as further information of the South African electricity network. These may be accessed here:

SA solar power stations: http://www.hawiknowledge.org/solar_power_stations_2.html
Eskom grid: http://www.hawiknowledge.org/eskom_grid_3.html

If you need any additional information please contact Prof H Winkler.